Folk Tales Every Child Should Know eBook

to possess the damsel. The sculptor said, ‘I
made her;’ the tailor, ‘I clothed her.’
I, too, maintained my right. Tell me, therefore,
doggie, to which of us the damsel belongs.”
The dog said nothing, but instead of the dog the princess
replied: “To whom can she belong but to
yourself? What’s the good of the sculptor’s
damsel without life? What’s the good of
the tailor’s dressing without speech? You
gave her the best gift, life and speech, and therefore
she by right belongs to you.” “You
have passed your own sentence,” said Vanek;
“I have given you speech again and a new life,
and you therefore by right belong to me.”
Then said one of the king’s councillors:
“His Royal Grace will give you a plenteous reward
for succeeding in unloosing his daughter’s tongue;
but you cannot have her to wife, as you are of mean
lineage.” The king said: “You
are of mean lineage; I will give you a plenteous reward
instead of our daughter.” But Vanek wouldn’t
hear of any other reward, and said: “The
king promised without any exception, that whoever
caused his daughter to speak again should be her husband.
A king’s word is law; and if the king wants
others to observe his laws, he must first keep them
himself. Therefore the king must give me
his daughter.” “Seize and bind him!”
shouted the councillor. “Whoever says the
king must do anything, offers an insult to his
Majesty, and is worthy of death. May it please
your Majesty to order this malefactor to be executed
with the sword?” The king said: “Let
him be executed.” Vanek was immediately
bound and led to execution. When they came to
the place of execution Luck was there waiting for
him, and said secretly to Intelligence: “See
how this man has got on through you, till he has to
lose his head! Make way, and let me take your
place!” As soon as Luck entered Vanek, the executioners
sword broke against the scaffold, just as if some
one had snapped it; and before they brought him another,
up rode a trumpeter on horseback from the city, galloping
as swift as a bird, trumpeted merrily, and waved a
white flag, and after him came the royal carriage
for Vanek. This is what had happened: The
princess had told her father at home that Vanek had
but spoken the truth, and the king’s word ought
not to be broken. If Vanek were of mean lineage
the king could easily make him a prince. The
king said: “You’re right; let him
be a prince!” The royal carriage was immediately
sent for Vanek, and the councillor who had irritated
the king against him was executed in his stead.
Afterward, when Vanek and the princess were going together
in a carriage from the wedding, Intelligence happened
to be somewhere on the road, and seeing that he couldn’t
help meeting Luck, bent his head and slipped on one
side, just as if cold water had been thrown upon him.
And from that time forth it is said that Intelligence
has always given a wide berth to Luck whenever he
has had to meet him.